Fabric laying machine with selective engagement of cutting means or spreading means



April 14, 1970 G. O. STUMPF 3,506,

FABRIC LAYING vMACHINE WITH SELECTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF CUTTING MEANS 0R SPREADING MEANS Filed May 7, 1968 v5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. I

April 14, 1970 cs. 0. STUMPF 3,506,254

FABRIC LAYING MACHINE WITH SELECTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF CUTTING MEANS OR SPREADING MEANS Filed May 7, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

Aprll 14, 1970 G. o; STUMPF 3,505,254 FABRIC LAYING MACHINE WITH SELECTIVE ENGAGEMENT 0F CUTTING MEANS QR SPREADING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May '2. 1968' Fig. 3

. 35 n 330,33b 24a,24b )5 22 United States Patent 3,506,254 FABRIC LAYING MACHINE WITH SELECTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF CUTTING MEANS OR SPREADING MEANS Gunter O. Stumpf, Kreis Munsingen, Germany, assignor to Bullmerwerk Karl Bullmer, Mehrstetteu, Kreis Munsingen, Germany Filed May 7, 1968, Ser. No. 727,173 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 29, 1967, B 73,649 Int. Cl. B65h 29/46 US. Cl. 270-31 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fabric spreading machine in which a reciprocally movable carriage supporting a fabric roll and a feed device therefor is adapted for receiving a spreader head or a cutting device which respectively spread fabric on a table in continuous zig-zag layers or in individual stacked layers each extending in the direction of the nap. The cutting device or spreader head are replaceable on the carriage by slidable interlocking and detachment without the use of fasteners.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a fabric spreading machine for spreading fabric either in the nap direction or in a direction opposite to the nap.

The usual spreading mode for fabrics, which do not require attention to the nap direction, is that of tabling or zig-zag spreading. In this method, the right side always lies on the right side, and the left side on the left side, however with opposite nap direction. The advantage of this spreading method consists in the considerable working speed, since cutting is not required after each length spread, but rather spreading proceeds continuously. That is, the spreading machine spreads the fabric on the table forward and in reverse, whereas the fold edges are maintained in place by automatic clamping devices.

If the fabrics must be spread in the nap direction, spreading machines with built-in cutting means are generally used which make it possible to cut each individual layer after spreading. Spreading according to this method necessarily proceeds somewhat slower than Zig-zag spreading, but many fabrics, especially outerwear fabrics cannot be Zig-zag spread on account of their nap orientation.

Suitable spreading machines are known for each of these two most important spreading methods.

An object of the present invention is to provide a spreading machine, which optionally permits spreading of a fabric run either in the initially described manner by tabling, i.e. zig-zag spreading, or by spreading in the nap direction with simultaneous cutting.

For a spreading machine, which spreads a fabric run, either in the nap direction, or in zig-zag, onto a stationary table over which travels a spreading head mounted on a reciprocally movable carriage, the invention contemplates making the spreading head readily and quickly interchangeable with a cutting device, without the necessity of loosening and re-tightening screws, bolts, or similar fasteners. A spreading machine of this kind will be economical even for medium-sized or small businesses, since, for example, in the outerwear industry, the same machine can table (zig-zag spread) the lining and donbling materials, and subsequently, after rapid changeover, can spread the outerwear fabrics in nap direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a table and a Patented Apr. 14, 1970 FIG. 1 shows a stationary table 1 and its supports 2. At the long sides of the table, rails 3 are attached to the supports 2, upon which a carriage 5 is movably mounted on casters 4. On its upper surface, the carriage carries two transversely spaced anchor-shaped brackets of which only the one in the foreground is visible in FIG. 1. Between the central support 6a of the bracket in the foreground and the corresponding support arm 6b in the background, a fabric roll 7 is rotatably supported. Between the front and rear side-arms 8a and 8b two guide rolls, 9a and 9b respectively, are rotatably supported. The distance between the side-arms is somewhat greater than the width of the run of fabric to be handled. 'Of the same length as the guide rolls 9 is a roll 11, which is supported between two brackets 10a and 10b which are attached at each side edge to the upper righthand rear surface of the carriage. The roll 11 is suitably driven in rotation and serves for unwinding the fabric 12 from the fabric roll 7. An idle roll 13 is supported adjacent to roll 11 and is of much smaller diameter. The roll 13 serves to increase the angle of wrap of the fabric on the roll 11.

A spreading head 15 (FIGS. 1 and 4) is detachably mounted on the carriage below the roll 11 and extends over the entire width of the table. The head 15 essentially consists of two longitudinal spreader plates 14a and 14b which define a slot therebetween, through which is guided the fabric 12 traveling downwardly from above. Each spreader plate, for a purpose to be described later, is pivotable around the pivots 16a and 1612 respectively, and moreover each is provided with a rail, 17a and 17b respectively, of which, for example, the rail 17 b cooperates with a stop 19 on a catcher 18 to initiate reversal of travel of carriage 5. The rails 17a and 17b are rotatably supported at pivots 17c and 17d (FIG. 4).

The laying of a layer of fabric is achieved in the following manner. At the beginning, the end of the fabric is held as shown in FIG. 1, by the spring-loaded catcher 18 secured to table 1, whereupon the carriage 5 with its spreader head 15 moves to the left while the fabric from the fabric roll 7 is steadily unwound. In this operation, the fabric slides along the bottom edge of the right hand spreader plate 14b, whereby the wrinkle-free spreading of the fabric layers is assured. When the carriage 5, after having reversed its movement at the extreme leftward end position (not shown), again approaches the right hand end position, the outer tip of rail 17b engages the stop 19 on the catcher 18. The catcher 18 is thereby lifted and the spreader plate 14b tilted upwards around its pivot point 16b. This makes it possible, for the left spreader plate 14a, whose lower beveled edge handles the spreading of the fabric run in the sense of movement from left to right, to reach the rightmost outer end of the fabric layers, whereupon in this position, the carriage movement is reversed and the catcher 18 with its stop 19 descends on the left edge of rail 17b and clamps the folded edge of the fabric therebeneath.

FIG. 2 shows the arrangement in which table 1 with carriage 5 can be used for cutting the run of fabric, merely by having had spreader head 15 replaced with a cutting device 20. In unwinding the fabric 12 from the fabric roll 7 by means of the driven roll 11 the fabric comes into the area of a rotating-disc blade 21, which, however, is operative only when a cylindrical body 22 provided with a cutting slot is moved towards the cutter blade.

Additional details of the cutting device and especially the novel manner of its atachment to the carriage can be seen in FIG. 3.

Two transversely spaced vertical profile rails 23a and 23b extending downwards approximately to the level of the table top, are attached to a side surface of the carriage (in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the right side surface). The distance between the rails 23a and 23b corresponds approximately to the depth of the carriage, or, in other words it is somewhat greater than the length of roll 11 in FIG. 1 or in FIG. 2. Each profile rail serves for guiding a carrier 24a and 24b respectively, which, by means of trunnions 25a, 26a and 25b, 26b respectively, and chains 27a. and 27b respectively, can be adjusted in its vertical position in correspondence with the height of the stack of fabric layers lying on the table. The carriers 24a, 24b are connected by a flat bar 28 which moves with the carriers. The weight of the carriers and bar 28 is compensated by a counter weight or spring (not shown) in order to facilitate adjustment of the distance of the bar and carriers from the table top.

The cutting device 20 comprises a channel 29, the length of which approximately corresponds to the depth of the carriage 5. To each inner surface of the legs of the channel 29 is attached a smaller angle member 30, 31. These serve as guides for two pairs of trunnions 32a, 32b and 33a, 33b. The trunnions have downwardly extending axles to which is fastened a plate 34. Attached to the bottom surface of the plate 34 is a suitable drive 35 for driving the disc blade 21 in high speed rotation. Facing the cutting edge of the blade 21 is a cylindrical body 22 with a longitudinal cutting slot 36. The body 22 is pivotably mounted relative to the blade 21 such that the cutting slot can be engaged by the blade or withdrawn therefrom.

On the upper surface of the web of the channel 29 an angle member 37 is attached which extends transversely between the two vertical guide rails 23a and 23b. The free leg 38 of member 37 is directed downwards, and it is spaced from the adjacent facing leg of the channel 29 by a distance which is only slightly greater than the thickness of the upright flat bar 28.

The aforesaid construction makes it possible to rapidly and easily mount the cutting device 20 on the flat bar 28 where it is firmly secured in position without the necessity of loosening or tightening a single fastener.

As shown in FIG. 2, the fabric 12 which is advanced by roll 11 is guided downwards between the right leg of the channel 29 and the cylindrical body 22. When it is desired to sever a layer of fabric spread on the table from the roll 7, the cylindrical body 22 is moved to the left until the cutting edge of the rotating blade 21 penetrates into the cutting slot 36 in the cylindrical body 22. Simultaneously, a control device (of a known kind), causes the plate 34 with drive 35 and blade 21 to be guided transversely across the table, whereby the layer of fabric on the table 1 is separated from the run (FIG. 2). With the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, the cutting device is operated to cut individual successive layers after spreading. This is the case when fabrics are spread in the nap direction, i.e. each layer is spread in the same direction as the nap.

The arrangement according to FIG. 4 differs from that in FIG. 3 only by the replacement of the cutting device 20 with the spreader head 15. This is achieved by bodily removing the cutting device 20 from the flat bar 28 and mounting spreader head on the flat bar 28. For this purpose hook shaped members 39 are secured on the left side of the spreader head which clamp on the flat bar 28 and thereby assure rigid attachment of the spreader head to the carriage.

It must be emphasized once more, that assembly and disassembly of the spreader head causes no difiiculty whatsoever nor does it involve any significant loss of time, contrary to the known designs where mounting is made by means of screws or similar means and must be carried out by a mechanic. The economy of time which can be realized is particularly important in consideration of the fact that tenths and hundredths of minutes are significant in time study evaluation of sewing shops.

What is claimed is:

1. A fabric spreading machine adapted for spreading fabric in continuous successive layers in zig-zag fashion or in individual layers in the direction of the nap, said machine comprising a reciprocally movable carriage, means on said carriage for receiving a supply of fabric to be spread, means for continuously feeding fabric from said supply, a stationary table adjacent the carriage for having fabric spread thereon, cutting means detachably engageable with said carriage for cutting each layer of fabric after it has been spread on the table whereby the fabric can be spread in individual layers in the direction of the nap, spreader means detachably engageable with said carriage and operative therewith for spreading the fabric on the table in continuous successive layers in zigzag fashion, and coupling means on said carriage and said cutting means and spreader means for selective engagement and disengagement of said cutting means or spreader means with said carriage by slidable interlocking and detachment without the use of fasteners.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises a fiat support member on said carriage, a downwardly open channel member on said spreader means which can be interfitted on said flat support member for engagement of said spreader means or removed from said fiat support member for disengagement of said spreader means, and means defining a slot which is downwardly open on said cutting means for engaging said fiat support member to detachably mount the cutting means thereon.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said flat support member is an elongated bar extending horizontally and having side surfaces which are vertical.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 comprising means on said carriage for raising and lowering said flat support member and the particular means engaged therewith, said means for raising and lowering comprising a pair of transversely spaced vertical guide rails on said carriage, carriers in said rails supporting said flat support member, and means in said rails engaging the carriers to raise and lower the same.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means in said rails for raising and lowering the carriers comprises a movable conveyor member connected to said carriers and trunnions coupled to said carriers for rolling along the guide rails.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5 comprising means acting on the carriers to compensate the weight thereof and of the flat support member carried thereby.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said cutting means comprises a member with a depending leg, said means defining said slot comprising a retaining member secured to the aforesaid member and including a leg extending parallel to said depending leg to define said slot.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein said member with the depending leg is a channel member and said retaining member is an angle with a first leg secured to said channel member along the web thereof and a second leg corresponding to the leg extending parallel to the depending leg of the channel member.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein said channel member is transversely elongated and has a length approximately equal to the depth of the carriage, said machine further comprising guide rails mounted on the depending legs of the channel member at the inner surfaces thereof, a plate guidably supported on said rails for movement lengthwise of the channel member, a rotatable cutting blade mounted on said plate, and drive means on said plate coupled to said blade to drive the same in rotation.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9 comprising rollers on said plate having peripheral grooves engaging said guide rails on the depending legs of the channel member.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 9 comprising a displaceable cylindrical body on said cutting means extending horizontally and transversely the Width of said table, said blade having a cutting edge extending beyond the other of the legs of the channel member, said body having a cutting slot facing the cutting edge of the blade and References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1963 Deichmann 27031 2/1954 Sayles 83484 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner P. V. WILLIAMS, Assistant Examiner 

